Looking back to the
future of fun on BBC News has quotes from some game developers about the way
2008 turned out. One of their respondents is Richard Garriott, the designer
cum-astronaut who parted ways with NCsoft earlier this year,
saying he was leaving to pursue "some new interests" inspired by his trip to
outer space (thanks
Wired).
Either he meant "old interests" when he said "new interests," or he has changed
his mind, because it sounds like he is considering trading in his general's
stars for another set of whatever it is lords wear to symbolize their lordships,
and returning to fantasy game design. He also praises Blizzard, rather than
ex-colleagues NCsoft, for their MMOG prowess:

If I had to pick a
developer who has done a bang up job, it would be Blizzard [the development team
behind World of Warcraft]. The number of people they have converted is just
amazing. They have shown all of us what good game development is all about.

After 25 years at Origin, the last thing I wanted to make was yet another
medieval fantasy game. Now, after a very interesting break, I'm keen to get back
into the fray and work on a new game. Probably medieval fantasy and probably
online; there's something very powerful about getting people together."